Well I have been doing alot of clean up jobs here lately and my older equipment has been taking the abuse. I have a stihl fs 130r that has about 4 seasons on it and a shindiwa homepro hedge timmer that is about 6 season old. I was thinking about getting another 130 and the hs 81 hedge trimmer. I searched some and found some good reviews on the hedge trimmer but I just want to make sure before I pull the trigger that it is going to be good. Also what is the going retail on the 81? I know the fs130 is about $400.00

LLandscaping

12-16-2012, 06:47 PM

I have a HS 81 T and we love it. The T is better for shaping and maintaining shrubs where the R is for heavy pruning. They retail for $519 I think.

herler

12-16-2012, 09:37 PM

Yeah the HS-81 is a bad ass, so long your back is up to it but after so many years it probably won't phase you, as for the trimmer... I'd look into a backup more than another main, four seasons on these 4-mix units is barely broke in so you're ready to roll, I've got 7-8 years on one and it still runs good, unlike 2-cyclers these really last a long, long time.

You will suffer some down time when things such as the fuel lines, the carb or the coil go, other things break as well and
it's not bad overall but while you're waiting for the parts to come in it helps to have a backup for that.

You could, of course, always buy another 130 but I'm telling you one of those two is going to do a lot of sitting around, I went through this with more than one machine already and I thought, let me use the old one up, well that was some years ago and I still have brand new machines sitting in the packages.

That's where I learned to buy cheaper, lesser units as backups.
Save a few Benjamins in the process.

You know, the price went up a little but this one's still available:
http://www.vminnovations.com/Product_12625/Husqvarna-128LD-28cc-Gas-Line-Grass-Lawn-Trimmer-Refurbished-.html

lawnboy dan

12-17-2012, 08:40 AM

sthil has never made a decent light weight hedge trimmer and continues to ignore this market segment

DanManofStihl

12-17-2012, 07:20 PM

I stopped by the dealer ship today to get a air filter and a carb gasket for the 130 and talked to the salesmen. Basically I can get a fs 130 trimmer and a hedge trimmer attachment for what a hs 81 cost. I like the 81 but I just can't really justifed spending that kind of money on one to use maybe 20 times a year. I mostly cut grass and probably spend less then 40 hours a year trimming hedges and bushes. I think i am going to buy a new 130 and put the hedge trimmer attachment on my old 130 that way if one machine goes down I will have another. My old 130 is running alot better after I cleaned the carb out it had a ton of junk in it I guess over the 4 years it collected in there.

T Scapes

12-17-2012, 08:59 PM

i got a 81T this year love it weight isnt terrible i dont mind it anything where im reaching far i just break out the 110 kombi with the hedge trimmer attachment